After many agonizing weeks of battle on the gridiron, it’s finally here: the Super Bowl! Whoops, I apologize, there’s apparently some kind of flag football game of sorts being played this Sunday that the NFL refers to as its version of the All Star Game: the Pro Bowl.

On paper, the Pro Bowl actually sounds like fun. Fans vote in the players they deem worthy of playing in the game that’s played in sunny Hawaii when players can show off their true talents without any of the added pressure of game day. But in actuality, fans are subjected to watching their second or third choice picks (since players either opt out because of the Super Bowl or plain just don’t show up) run around like children at recess with little effort and little to no care of the outcome of the game. But who can blame them? The game means absolutely nothing.

Major League Baseball holds the award for best All-Star Game, andweekend for that matter, by a landslide. The Home Run Derby is one ofthe most anticipated skills event of the year while the All Star Gamehold extreme importance to whomever seeks home field advantage in theWorld Series. Second in line is NBA All Star Weekend, complete withSkills Challenge, 3-Point Contest, Dunk Contest and All Star Game (Ipurposely left out the Celebrity game for both baseball andbasketball; ain’t nobody got time for that). Though the Dunk Contesthas gotten some flack over the years for lack of excitement and talentin contestants, it still brings a level of excitement unique toitself. Third on the list is the NHL All Star Weekend, but I can’tname you any of the events because I carry on living my life insteadof watching hockey. Which brings us to last place: the Pro Bowl.

You’re probably wondering why I’m giving the Pro Bowl such a bad rap.I mean, what could possibly so bad about a game that has ratingscomparable to that of some World Series games? I’ll tell you why.Because it goes against everything the game of football stands for.The game of football is so ferocious that the NFL’s only major concernis to try and make it safer. As for the fans? Most resemblecharacteristics of our early caveman ancestors. Bloodthirtsy.Ravenous. Die-hard. Illiterate. Regardless, in the NFL it’s akill-or-be-killed mentality, and if you don’t like, go play golf. Orwait to play in the Pro Bowl.

You would think the Pro Bowl would be a highly competitive affairwhere star players would be happy to show off their talents andopponents’ pride and dignity would get in the way of letting thathappen (you may not know this or not, but there are actually defensiveplayers at the Pro Bowl). Instead, you’ll find more competition at apee-wee football game from both the players, and unfortunately thefans. The season is over for the players and they get no compensationfor being at the game aside from being allowed to tweet from thesidelines. They might as well skip playing the game altogether andhold a cocktail party on the field instead. I don’t know about you butI’d much rather see Aaron Rodgers ‘discount double check’ while drunkand John Madden break the work record for eating the most horsd’oeuvres in three hours.

So, how in the hell do we fix this travesty being passed off as afootball game? Well for starters, give the players a reason to bethere, whether it’s something monetary or an award to the winner. Muchlike in baseball, make the winning conference get to pick a team fromthat conference to hold the Super Bowl that year or having the teamfrom that conference win the coin toss at the Super Bowl. The NFLcould also add a skills challenge much like the NBA and similar to thecombine or other skills challenges. Or, just nix the game altogetherand have the damn cocktail party, but also make it an awards ceremonylike the ESPYs and give out season awards.

Whatever the NFL may decide, decide they must, and quickly. It’s badenough that the game falls at the incredibly awkward time before themost important game of the year, why make it worse than watching anelectric football game in the 1960s? Now that the bounty scandal isfinally in the backburner, hopefully the NFL can concentrate on fixingthe Pro Bowl for the next couple years (before they get bombarded withconcussion lawsuits), and can make it into a game that both theplayers and the fans can thoroughly enjoy.

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R.A.N.T. is a blog fueled by intense enthusiasm for notable subjects in the world. Our writers ramble about these topics based on pure opinion, which is better than your opinion, I might add. There is no topic, idea, thought, philosophy, or belief that our team will not tackle.

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